Apparatus for charging and for distributing charges in shaft furnace

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for charging and distributing a charge in a shaft furnace having a fluidtight envelope above the furnace, a large bell providing a seal at the base of this envelope and distributing the charges in the furnace, a rotary cone situated above the large bell and closed at the bottom by a rotatable small bell, a lower small bell situated between the two preceding bells, means for opening the bells, and a device for charging the rotary cone, the rotary cone being in a fluidtight envelope which the nonrotatable small bell closes, the small bells are coaxial and vertically displaceable, the rotatable small bell can pass through a seal for the nonrotatable small bell and the envelope has a stop for arresting the cone.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Robert Dorville Paris, France [2i] Appl. No. 54,677 [22] Filed July 14, 1970 [45] Patented Nov. 30, 1971 [73] Assignee Societe Industrielle Delattre-Levivier S.I.D.L. Paris, France [32] Priority Aug. 22, 1969 i 3 3 1 France 1 6,928,827

[54] APPARATUS FOR CHARGING AND FOR DISTRIBUTING CHARGES llN SHAFT FURNACE 3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

52 U.S. Cl 266/27, 214/37 511 Int. Cl F27b 1/20 [50] Field of Search 214/36, 37;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3.554.393 1/197 l Barballe et al. 214/37 Primary E.\'aminerGerald A Dost Anorne vCameron. Kerkam & Sutton ABSTRACT: Apparatus for charging and distributing a charge in a shaft furnace having a fluidtight envelope above the furnace, a large bell providing a seal at the base of this envelope and distributing the charges in the furnace. a rotary cone situ ated above the large bell and closed at the bottom by a rotatable small bell, a lower small bell situated between the two preceding bells, means for opening the bells. and a device for charging the rotary cone. the rotary cone being in a fluidtight envelope which the nonrotatable small bell closes. the small bells are coaxial and vertically displaceable. the rotatable small bell can pass through a seal for the nonrotatable small bell and the envelope has a stop for arresting the cone.

PATENTEnuuvsolsn 1623709 SHEET 2 OF 2 FIG-.3

APPARATUS FOR CHARGING AND FOR DISTRIBUTING CHARGES IN SHAFT FURNACE The invention relates to apparatus for charging and for distributing solid charges at the top of shaft furnaces in which the pressure is greater than atmospheric pressure. It relates more particularly to blast furnaces operating at high pressures in the throat.

In the charging system for such apparatus, the large bell which closes the bottom acts both as the sealing means and as the means for distributing the charges inside the shell. These bells, which are subject to wear from the materials and to abrasion by the gases, soon cease to provide a seal and must be replaced after a short time. Also, since they are suspended by means of a central rod, dismantling and replacement of the mechanisms takes a very long time. Most conventional apparatus also has the disadvantage of requiring a large-diameter pressuretight rotary seal for the rotary cone of the small bell.

Particular objects of the invention are to permit the apparatus to operate with a lower bell which is not gastight, to facilitate the operation of replacing plant above the lower bell, and to make the seal between the rotary cone and the fixed element of the throat unnecessary.

The invention relates to apparatus for charging and for distributing charges in shaft furnaces having a fluidtight envelope above the furnace, a large bell providing a seal at the base of this envelope and distributing the charges in this furnace, a rotary cone situated above the large bell and closed at the bottom by a rotatable small bell, a lower small bell situated between the two preceding bells, means for opening the bells, and a device for charging the rotary cone, characterized in that the rotary cone is situated in a fluidtight shell closed at the bottom by the lower small bell, which is not rotatable, the rotatable small bell and the lower small hell are coaxial and are suspended from a device for producing vertical displacement, each of the small bells cooperates with a seat, the diameter of the rotatable small bell is less than that of the seat of the lower small bell, and the rotary cone and the fluidtight shell have cooperating bearing surfaces which stop the descent of the rotary cone.

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to a particular embodiment, given by way of example and illustrated in the drawings.

F 1G. 1 represents a section through the vertical longitudinal axis of apparatus embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a section on a line ll-ll in F IG. 1; and

FIG. 3 shows, on a larger scale, the suspension for the bells situated above the bell closing the bottom of the throat.

The apparatus comprises a charging chute 1 which can be closed by a gastight valve 2 and introduces the charges into a rotary cone or hopper 3, closed at the bottom by a bell 4 on which a seat 5 attached to the cone 3 bears. The bell 4 is supported by way of a tube 6 on a rotary abutment 7 fixed to a rod 8, which supports a lower small bell 9. The rod 8 is supported by a jack 10 or any other means providing sufficient force to urge the bell 9 on to a seat 11, and to support the dead weight of the fixed bell 9, hell 4 and cone 3 and of materials introduced into the cone.

A driving and reducing unit 12 transmits a rotary movement to a toothed ring 13, which rotates with the tube 6 and therefore with the bell 4 and the cone 3 supported by this bell.

The toothed ring 13, supported by rollers 14 and guided by rollers 15, permits vertical displacement of the tube 6. Rollers l6 guide the rotary movement of the cone 3.

The jack l0 permits vertical displacement of the bell 9 and therefore of the bell 4, which is connected to the hell 9 in respect of vertical displacement by way of the abutment 7. During this vertical displacement the hell 9 is guided by guides 17.

The vertical stroke of the bells 4 and 9 is equal to the stroke of the jack 110; but the stroke of the seat 5 and therefore of the cone 3 is limited and equal to the distance between the seats 5 and 11.

The assembly formed of the bell 4, seat 5 and cone 3 is enclosed in a gastight envelope 1%, closed at the top by a fluidtight rotary seal 19 and fixed at the bottom to the seat 1 l.

The lower bell 20 is urged on to its seat 21 by way of jacks 22 fixed to an adjusting lifting beam 23.

A fluidtight shell 24, with seals 25 where rods 26 suspending the bell enter it, forms the final receptacle for the materials before they are introduced into the blast furnace.

The interior of the blast furnace is connected by pipes to the space 27 between the large bell 20 and the small hell 9.

Pipes 28 make it possible, by means of valves 29 and 30, either to equalize the pressures above and below the bell 9, or to bring the volume of gas enclosed in the shell 18 to atmospheric pressure.

The operations of introducing the charges are carried out as follows:

Initially, all the equipment is in the position shown in FIG. 1. The valve 29 prevents the gas from passing into the shell 18; the valve 30 connects the shell 18 to the atmosphere.

The charges are introduced into the cone 3, which is rotated by the driving and reducing unit 12. The bell 9 remains fixed and provides a seal for the pressurized gases; this bell therefore enables the large-diameter rotary seal required for conventional throats to be eliminated. When the cone 3 is full, the rotational movement is stopped and simultaneously the valve 2 is closed and, by means of the clearance in the valves 29 and 30, the pressurized gas is introduced into the shell 18. The bells 4 and 9 are lowered by means of the jack 10. The cone 3 descends with the bell 4, but its downward movement ceases when the seat 5 rests on the seat 11 by way of cooperating bearing surfaces 31 and 32. The bells 4 and 9 continue to descend, and the charge is introduced into the lower pressurized shell.

It should be noted that, due to the arrangement of the bells 4 and 9 and seats 5 and l l, the assembly comprising the bell 9 and seat 11, which provides a gas seal, is not in contact with the materials and is therefore not subject to wear. Gastightness is therefore provided for a longer period.

The bells and cone are then hoisted back into their initial position by means of the jack 10. The pressure in the shell 18 is reduced by means of the valves 29 and 30, the valve 2 is opened, and the cone 3 is rotated and is ready to receive the next charge.

When enough material is present above the large bell, this bell is opened by means of the jacks 22. The materials are introduced into the blast furnace, and the large bell is closed.

The fact that the large bell is not gastight does not, of course, interfere with operation of the system, since operation can be effected even if the gas pressures on both sides of the large bell are always equal.

Obviously, the invention is not restricted to the details of the embodiment just described, and these details may be modified without exceeding the scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

1. Apparatus for charging and for distributing charges in shaft furnaces having a fluidtight envelope above the furnace, a large bell providing a sea] at the base of this envelope and distributing the charges in the furnace, a rotary cone situated above the large bell and closed at the bottom by a rotatable small bell, a lower small bell situated between the two preceding bells, means for opening the bells, and a device for charging the rotary cone, characterized in that the rotary cone is situated in a fluidtight shell closed at the bottom by the lower small bell, which is not rotatable, the rotatable small bell and the lower small bell are coaxial and are suspended from a device for producing vertical displacement, each of the small bells cooperates with a seat, the diameter of the rotatable small bell is less than that of the seat of the lower small bell, and the rotary cone and the fluidtight shell have cooperating bearing surfaces which stop the descent of the rotary cone.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the large bell is suspended from a device for producing vertical displacement, this device being in the form of an adjusting lifting beam extending transversely within the fluidtight envelope and connected to jacks.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that ducts connect the fluidtight envelope to the fluidtight shell and the latter to the atmosphere, and these ducts include 5 isolating valves.

# 1 i k II! 

1. Apparatus for charging and for distributing charges in shaft furnaces having a fluidtight envelope above the furnace, a large bell providing a seal at the base of this envelope and distributing the charges in the furnace, a rotary cone situated above the large bell and closed at the bottom by a rotatable small bell, a lower small bell situated between the two preceding bells, means for opening the bells, and a device for charging the rotary cone, characterized in that the rotary cone is situated in a fluidtight shell closed at the bottom by the lower small bell, which is not rotatable, the rotatable small bell and the lower small bell are coaxial and are suspended from a device for producing vertical displacement, each of the small bells cooperates with a seat, the diameter of the rotatable small bell is less than that of the seat of the lower small bell, and the rotary cone and the fluidtight shell have cooperating bearing surfaces which stop the descent of the rotary cone.
 2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the large bell is suspended from a device for producing vertical displacement, this device being in the form of an adjusting lifting beam extending transversely within the fluidtight envelope and connected to jacks.
 3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that ducts connect the fluidtight envelope to the fluidtight shell and the latter to the atmosphere, and these ducts include isolating valves. 